Question

I m trying to get the annotation details from super type reference variable using reflection, to make the method accept all sub types. But isAnnotationPresent() returning false. Same with other annotation related methods. If used on the exact type, output is as expected.

I know that annotation info will be available on the Object even I m referring through super type.

@Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
@Target({ElementType.TYPE})
public @interface Table {
    String name();
}
@Table(name = "some_table")
public class SomeEntity {

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        System.out.println(SomeEntity.class.isAnnotationPresent(Table.class)); // true
        System.out.println(new SomeEntity().getClass().isAnnotationPresent(Table.class)); // true

        Class<?> o1 = SomeEntity.class;
        System.out.println(o1.getClass().isAnnotationPresent(Table.class)); // false

        Class<SomeEntity> o2 = SomeEntity.class;
        System.out.println(o2.getClass().isAnnotationPresent(Table.class)); // false

        Object o3 = SomeEntity.class;
        System.out.println(o3.getClass().isAnnotationPresent(Table.class)); // false
    }
}

How to get the annotation info?

Answer 1

You’re calling getClass() on a Class<?>, which will give Class<Class>. Now Class itself isn’t annotated, which is why you’re getting false. I think you want:

// Note no call to o1.getClass()
Class<?> o1 = SomeEntity.class;
System.out.println(o1.isAnnotationPresent(Table.class));